Tony Romo says he’s taking responsibility for his “failures,” including a recent arrest in Wisconsin that led to him being charged for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
The former Dallas Cowboys player, who in recent years has been a CBS mainstay as a top NFL analyst, opened his statement on Tuesday (Sept. 1) by underscoring the impact he says football has had on “every meaningful part” of his life.
“This is one of those moments when I am leaning on everything football taught me,” Romo said on Instagram, as seen below. “This morning, I faced a recent personal failure by pleading no contest to a civil offense for OWl in Wisconsin. I own this completely.”
Following the July arrest, during which police said they noticed the smell of alcohol and found an open container inside his vehicle, Romo was placed on leave from his CBS gig.
Pointing to an admitted “over-reliance on alcohol” in Tuesday’s statement, Romo attributed this to “multiple back surgeries” that brought his career to an early end. The surgeries, he said, were followed by him growing dependent on pain medication, which in turn led to his alcohol struggles.
“None of this is an excuse,” he added. “These are my failures, and I take responsibility for them.”
Romo is hopeful, however, that he will one day be able to make his return to TV.
“Your encouragement has meant more to me than you know,” he said Tuesday, referencing the public support he’s received in recent weeks, including from fellow noteworthy NFL figures.
